Iruka Marries!
by jazzy2may
Summary: A female jounin has decided to make Iruka her man. Twists and turns will happen. Warning: Yaoi will eventually happen. IruKashi 4 life. NO LIKE NO READ
1. Chapter One & Two: A Repost

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Author Note: I was going to rewrite this but I just have too much on my plate so I am going to repost this story and call it good for now. I doubt I will add anything new any time soon, however I am going to open this story up for those of you who might want to see it finished.

WARNING: SLASH, M/M coupling, HET, M/F coupling, mysterious intentions and marriage and children and twists and turns to come. Work-In-Progress

REPOST

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Title: IRUKA MARRIES

Author: Jazzy

Pairing: Iruka/OFC; Kakashi/Iruka

Rating: T (for now)

Pairings: Iruka/Kakashi; Iruka/Noriko; Sasuke/Naruto (others)

Characters: Ibiki, Tsunade, Pakkun, Kurenai, Asuma, Genma, Raidou, Kotetsu, Izumo, and the return of Tommy-cat and Tom-Tom J

Summary: A female jounin has decided to make Iruka her man. However Kakashi has something to say on the matter.

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**Chapter One**

Kakashi had come to a realization lately he was finally ready to settle down. He had his eyes on a certain chunin and that chunin made family easily. He had made Naruto his son. He had made Kakashi an extension of his and Naruto's lives outside of work and duties. Kakashi was in love with the gentle dolphin. He entered the missions area with his usual jovial and late stride, slouching and reading Itcha Itcha as he made his lazy way to the desk where his crush was attending and filing missions reports.

Noriko was a well liked jounin and with one well timed question she became all that Kakashi hated in the world.

"Will you go out with me Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka blinked, the room became silent as a tomb. At first the chunin looked around the room uncertain that he had heard what he had heard as if making sure there wasn't another Iruka sensei around. Uncertainty written all over his demeanor, Iruka's finger lurched in a strange timid gesture pointing first to himself then to her then back to himself, as if he still couldn't believe what he was hearing, but Noriko was patient letting the shock settle and leave in seconds as she nodded happily at Iruka. Iruka's face lit up.

"I I I I I I I I" he stuttered blushing like mad. Trying so hard not to scratch his scar on his nose or the back of his neck or pull on his pony tail in his nervousness. He tried desperately not to laugh like a mad man or to faint. He didn't want to come off as more of an idiot then he already was.

"Is that a yes, Iruka-sensei?" she inquired gently and still patiently.

She was so kind! For a jounin she was so nice. She was pretty and she liked him and she was patient. Iruka found himself nodding and smiling and blushing burning cheeks and ears.

"You can bring your son, Naruto, with you if you like, since I know the two of you often eat dinner together. I want to get to know you. The whole you and I know Naruto and your many other students are very much a part of your life."

Iruka almost swayed and almost fell he was just lucky he was sitting down. This couldn't be for real. He'd waited so long to find the perfect girl. The one who would accept him and his love of his students and especially his devotion to Naruto as a father to his son. This…. this couldn't be real….. and yet no matter how many times he pinched himself to the point Noriko actually took his hand in hers and held it firm and warm and strong and keeping him from doing himself any more harm as it was he was going to have quite the bruise on his thigh and forearm.

He knew he was in love. This was the one he'd been waiting for. This was the woman he was meant to be with. But she was a jounin. Jounin and chunin rarely had stable relationships let alone with one another. But this had to be the woman he was meant to be with. She was so nice and she wanted him, all of him.

"Yyyy."

"Good! I'll see you tonight!" she smiled wide and warm and so much emotion. Iruka had to put a hand to his heart to keep it from bursting from his chest. How had he gotten so lucky? Should he be more suspicious? Should he be careful? Should he believe his luck? But what possible reason was there for her to say such nice things and be so nice and so encouraging? It couldn't be a trap of some sort. She seemed nice and honest and she was lovely and she liked him.

Kakashi glared daggers at his now mortal enemy. No one was going to take Iruka from him no one. Sure Iruka hadn't figured out they were dating but that left no reason for some jounin kunoichi to come trodding in on Kakashi's territory. The jounin was a comrade so he couldn't kill her but he wasn't going to take this lying down. Iruka belonged to him and him alone! Iruka was going to be his wife! His dreams of settling down and living with Iruka forever was going to happen even if he had to sabotage the bitch!

Genma and the other chunins and jounin were too busy teasing and encouraging Iruka in his good fortune to notice the piqued Copy Nin who uncharacteristically had dropped his Itcha Itcha on the floor and had yet to pick it up.

Kakashi glared at every one of them deciding there and then that all of them were against him and his happiness and he was going to get his revenge on them one by one all of them! They were now his enemies and on his list, but at the top of that list was Noriko and she was going to pay for stealing Kakashi Hatake's man!

Grrroarrrr!

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Chapter Two

Genma scowled at the more abrasive and strangely behaving Kakashi. He had to wonder. What in hell was wrong with Kakashi lately? The man was acting like a jerk. More of a jerk than usual he amended. Kakashi had refused going out to the bar and have a drink with him. But worse than that Kakashi had given off the feral killing intent in his chakra that had made Genma blanch and go pale.

Genma had tried to get Kakashi to discuss what his problem was but Kakashi was more tight lipped than usual too. Raidou was patting his ruffled feathers and plying with enough fire whiskey to give a jounin a hangover to last a week over.

"Just ignore him, Genma. Ever since Iruka dumped him for Noriko he's been in a really bad mood."

Genma scowled. "Like they were even going out! He's being ridiculous and childish!"

Ibiki snorted at Genma's whining. Ibiki was a trained observer. He'd been well aware of a certain Jounin's blossoming affections for a certain dolphin named chunin. Raidou it seemed was also aware of those feelings.

Kakashi tried everything to court the oblivious Iruka to get the man's attentions and focus solely for Kakashi and on their friendship. But Iruka was too far gone, always talking about Noriko this and Noriko that and breaking their dates because he'd promised to go out with Noriko!

Noriko

Noriko

Noriko

NORIKO!

Killing intent flared and assaulted everyone within a three mile radius. Jounin chunin even some civilians winced at the aggressive angry chakra.

Chidori actually came to life for a moment before ripping apart the nearest target. Thankfully he was killing off wooden doll in the jounin practice yard rather than killing a certain Chunin-snatching Jounin female.

At this rate his chakra reserves would be dwindling and his teeth would be ground to nothing.

Sasuke and Naruto watched their teacher and winced. They'd never seen so much emotion coming from the usually apathetic lazy jounin bastard.

After another particularly harsh training regime Naruto finally blew his top. Kakashi was pained for it reminded him of Iruka. His heart broke all over again.

"Okay sensei, its time you told us what the hell's going on with you!" screamed Naruto finally at the end of his patience.

"its grown up business." Snapped Kakashi, dangerous warning tone in his voice.

Sakura scowled. Her ears had been pinned to the gossip around town so she knew what was going on. Inner Sakura scowled. _'He's such a big baby! Why doesn't he just man up and demand Iruka's friendship back?!'_ Out loud she chastised her teammate. "You don't really expect Kakashi-sensei to tell a bunch og genin his emotional problems do you Naruto baka."

"That's enough since the three of you still have so much energy go train with Guy-Sensei." Growled Kakashi.

"No! Not until you tell us what the hell's crawled up you behind!" roared Naruto, rebellious and as loud as ever.

"Dobe, drop it." Insisted Sasuke.

Surprisingly Naruto actually obeyed Sasuke. "Fine, but its only going to eat you up inside until you die. Iruka-sensei told me so."

Another stab of a kunai through the shattering remnants of his usually stone cold heart. Kakashi flinched.

"Its about Iruka-sensei, isn't it?" asked Naruto uncharacteristically observant and actually sensitive with the level of his voice almost a whisper. Naruto had seen the wince when Iruka's name was mentioned.

"You're still Iruka-sensei's friend. He loves you ya know, BaKashi-sensei. You're hurting him when you ignore him. He wants you for his best man for when Noriko asks him to marry her. He told me so. If you love Iruka even as half as much as he loves you, BaKashi-Dolt-Sensei then you'll stop this brooding and welcome his happiness. Even if its not with you!"

Both team member winced, sensitivity after all wasn't really Naruto's forte.

"Get lost." Growled Kakashi. This time his little team of soldiers sprang away and were out of the field in seconds and in the tree tops running towards the inner city areas of Konoha.

He was left alone at last to wallow in more of his self pity. He thought he should go to the stone. He felt defeated. If he really loved Iruka like Naruto said then he should be able to let Iruka go if it was the right choice if it made Iruka happy Kakashi knew he should have more maturity and be able to let Iruka go. But it hurt. He really loved Iruka. He couldn't imagine his life without the little fire cracker of an Academy teacher.

"You know Kakashi." Said Ibiki coming out of the shadows. "Naruto's rather wise for a punk. You know what you have to do to keep Iruka-sensei in your life. Man up and bare it. Iruka wont be dead he'll just be married. And he will still be your friend. That is if you haven't blown it so badly that his feelings have been hurt by your childish behavior to the point that his patience is at an end with you."

Heart broken he turned from Ibiki. He knew that his students and even Ibiki had a point. He needed to repair the damage he'd caused with their current squabble. He really couldn't bare to lose Iruka. Ibiki was right it wasn't like Iruka would be out of reach or be dead. Iruka would only have an extra appendage, its name Noriko.

He scowled.

It was obvious Iruka was bewitched and smitten with Noriko and Noriko seemed to treat the little teacher very well. She was wining and dining him constantly and making purchases to dress him up in mouth watering jeans and shirts that really set off Iruka's attractive qualities. She acted like she was very much in love with Iruka. She hung on his arm and hung on his every word and every gesture. Noriko was as smitten as Iruka was. Though deep down Kakashi had to wonder if Iruka wasn't just awed that someone other than Kakashi had finally taken the time to see his worth and attractive qualities.

Kakashi was discouraged and unresolved maybe he just wasn't meant to have happiness. He couldn't bare having Iruka reject him. If he hadn't have dragged his feet. If he'd only made his intentions more clear instead of holding his feelings so close the vest.

What ifs and what have beens never made a situation better. He had to stop thinking about it.

He had to go apologize to Iruka. He winced as he recalled their last squabble.

Iruka had tried to make concessions had tried to set up another dinner time for them for the next week but Kakashi had been outraged. There were only so many times a man could be held off! He'd thrown a fit.

"Why don't you want to spend time with me any more Iruka?" he'd raged, in a voice near death and raspy.

"I do Kakashi. But I… I'm sorry Kakashi. I don't want to make Noriko upset. I love her. I just want to spend some time with her and she keeps to our arranged times and is never late unlike a certain wild haired jounin." Iruka snapped. "I should be asking you if its not really your problem that you really don't want to spend time with me?!" roared Iruka.

"Of course I want to spend time with you. I just don't want to hear any more about that Noriko woman!" screamed Kakashi.

Iruka had turned pale and lips flapping he then went ballistic. It had ended with both shinobi turning their backs on one another and each running away to go lick their wounds.

Iruka tried to keep the tears at bay. He couldn't understand why his friendship with Kakashi was going to hell. He loved Kakashi and couldn't bare to lose him as his friend. He had never thought he would ever become so close to another shinobi since Mizuki's betrayal. But Kakashi had surprised him. His heart had really surprised him the most by letting the irresponsible jounin Kakashi inside of it. Now he wondered if that friendship was teetering on some dark precipice or on some thin thread that he couldn't repair in time before it snapped. Iruka felt pain felt as if it was hard to breathe and then he felt so chilled.

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Noriko sat by him as he lay on his bed. She was concerned for him. Her concern opened the damn over his emotions and he began to weep. She was rubbing circles into his back.

Iruka was smitten with Noriko. She was a strong ninja and she desired him. He couldn't at first believe it. She was in love with him. She chased after him and courted him and when Iruka married her he thought his life was perfect and complete. He was in love and had someone who was in love with him.

It was rare to find a woman who so easily accepted Iruka and accepted Naruto as part of the package. He felt this was his last chance his only chance for happiness. He wasn't getting any younger and shinobi didn't live long due to their dangerous jobs. He had to snatch happiness while he still could.

Noriko was patient and understanding she sat with him and talked with him for hours.

"Kakashi is your friend Iruka, I have no doubts about this. But he is a very strange and lonesome man. He has no concept of acting socially. You know these things about him. He's not used to sharing you with others. He's used to having you to himself on his whims. He's spoiled child. But there is no doubt that he cares as much for you as you do for him, Iruka. I don't want to be wedge between the two of you. I love you. I want your happiness Iruka. And I know that if he is truly your true friend he will want your happiness foremost as well. And he will learn to be able to share you with me and with our children when we have any. I wanted tonight to be special because I have a wonderful gift for you Iruka. I want to ask you to marry me."

Before Iruka could answer there was a puff of smoke and a breeze of leaves as Kakashi made his appearance on the window ledge. On seeing Iruka's tear stained face and Noriko's proximity to Iruka Kakashi glared at her.

"What have you done to him!? Iruka are you alright?" before Iruka or even Noriko could blink Kakashi had Iruka in his arms and balanced on the window sill to make a hasty retreat.

Iruka scowled "What the hell Kakashi!? Its not Noriko whose hurt me here ya know." He growled. "Hell I don't even know if you have a right to be on my window sill or have any rights to put your hands on me Kakashi. After that fight we had. I thought our friendship was in jeopardy. I'm seriously thinking that this friendship is doomed!"

Kakashi's eye widened. His heart squeezed with pain as if another kunai had been thrust into it. "No." he protested. "You're my friend Iruka. I don't ever want us to break apart. I came to apologize for my behavior. I.. you were right… I was being a brat and I… I'm your friend."

"Then will you be able to accept Noriko as my wife?" asked Iruka, testing and weighing the pause and the look that flickered in Kakashi's eyes before the jounin shuddered then nodded.

"In time, I can accept it, I will accept it, I mean. Iruka I don't want to lose you."

Noriko smiled then clapped them both on the shoulder. "Come on, lets go out and celebrate to your renewed friendship and to mine and Iruka's upcoming wedding vows." She was smiling happily.

Iruka returned her smile and kissed her lips passionately. "I love you."

Kakashi tried not to react to the kiss or to the fact that someone other than himself was kissing Iruka. He had nearly lost his friend. He was not going to after getting that friendship back one minute then lose it the next. He may be a fool sometimes but he wasn't that big of a fool. If things turned bad or if Noriko died than Iruka would be his again. he just had to abide his time. It was after all what shinobi did best.

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TBC

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	2. Chapter Three & Four: A Repost

**Chapter Three**

Noriko's POV.

Noriko hadn't intended on falling in love. She hadn't intended to find excuses to keep staying in Konohagure. She had one simple mission bring back information to her village and let her guise as the shinobi Noriko die. But the more time she spent in Konoha the more she loved it. The people were warm and friendly, the shinobi an interesting mix of hardened and warm people not like the hopeless and bitter shinobi of her village. Then of course there had been the Academy Sensei.

He was everything she had ever looked for in a man. He was gentle and loving but quietly unobtrusively strong and he had a weird and catchy sense of humor. He made her laugh all of the time. He made her heart swell with so much love she thought she would die from so much of it.

She was torn! Her mission, her duty, was to betray Konoha not her own village and yet if she went through with it; these wonderful warm happy people, these loving people, Iruka, would be made miserable, their village would be destroyed and their lives far worse than they would have been if she had ever/ never come here.

Of course as much as Iruka and she loved each other, their marriage, their lives, weren't perfect. Iruka was timid in bed. He was very loving but never very sure of himself, and he rarely seemed to be in the mood for anything intimate. It made her worry. Iruka was sensitive and kind and passionate and yet when they made love it wasn't as mind blowing as it should have been. The chemistry was there and Iruka tried, he really tried, but there was something wrong, something was holding him back.

But what on earth could it possibly be?

When she watched Iruka with Kakashi some instinct told her exactly what it was. She liked to shy away from that knowing little voice in her heart and head. She'd stolen the dolphin from the wolf. The Dolphin was already mated to the wolf though not intimately or physically so. She had come between them.

She wanted to weep with sadness when she thought that she wasn't really making Iruka happy. Or rather Iruka wasn't letting himself be happy. She loved him. She was selfish enough to try and keep him a little longer.

They were going to have a baby. This marriage was going to work. They were going to have a life together. She would make it work!

She told Iruka she would not be a wedge between the friends but she was going to start monitoring things more and make it so Iruka and Kakashi couldn't spend so much time together. She couldn't bare to lose Iruka to Kakashi.

She was going to have Iruka's child!

She would not lose the father of her child to Kakashi.

Besides Kakashi was a terrible father figure look at how his genin team ran all over him and showed him so little respect not to mention kakashi tended not to get along well with kids. The man's presence alone could make toddlers burst into tears! She'd seen it!

Iruka had done a lot of comforting of both toddlers and Kakashi at that point. It had almost been humorous except that Kakashi seemed to milk every touch Iruka gave to him.

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Chapter FOUR

Even Iruka was feeling the pressure. He knew he wasn't fully satisfying the woman he thought he was in love with. Yet she smiled and laughed with him. They had most dinners together and they snuggled on the couch discussing their day with one another and at night when they weren't making love which seemed to be a very big deal for Iruka and he was always nervous and slow going in the sack. He wanted to please her he didn't want to disappoint her but he knew he was doing so it was in her eyes.

Their lovemaking could sometimes be passionate but for the most part it felt strangely mechanical, like Iruka couldn't quite fit the pieces together or well he felt their was something missing. He loved Noriko and yet it took a lot for him to get up his passion for her.

After one warm session but not a particularly passionate one, he hugged her close and whispered "I'm sorry. I wish I could make you happy."

"You do Iruka, you're being too hard on yourself and too intimidated by my sex. I love you. As long as we love one another it will get easier. I promise." Insisted Noriko tenderly.

As the time for giving birth drew ever closer for Noriko and Iruka. Iruka began to fret over all kinds of matters such as Noriko's job. If she were to stop being a Jounin their joint income would be severely limited and yet he couldn't imagine Noriko could give up her job. She was so passionate about protecting Konohagure. Plus she really enjoyed her job. Noriko could be a little blood thirsty and sometimes when tempers flared things got a little scary at home but Iruka was a chunin and he could take care of himself.

Besides Noriko loved him. She would never hurt him not really, it was just hormones and the stress of pregnancy. He insisted to himself carefully applying a cold pack to his eye. He would use his healing chakra later to fix the bruise when he wasn't so exhausted.

Finally as it became closer and closer to due date Noriko and Iruka had come to terms and Iruka was going to become an at home dad which Iruka liked the thought of. He wanted to spend as much time with his children as possible. He loved and enjoyed teaching but if he was going to make his marriage work and make sure that his child was taken care of he would need to be the one to stay home.

Besides Noriko made the more money and as long as Iruka still continued at the tower at the missions desk he would still be able to bring home a living wage to help with expenses of the new house and the cost of bringing up children.

Kakashi didn't take the news well nor did the genin and faculty and parents. Iruka was the best teacher at the academy, siblings of previous graduates had heard wonderful things about Iruka and they adored him, even the graduates adored him. Iruka was young and fun and kind and stern and a firecracker and had a wonderful sense of humor and compassion. Iruka was sad to be leaving his teaching position however he had new responsibilities.

"Kakashi stop moping." Grinned Iruka, chucking him on the shoulder with his beer hanging loosely from the other arm draped over Kakashi's shoulders. Iruka was a little drunk and beautiful. Dark obsidian eyes glowed warmth and love and such breath stealing beauty.

Kakashi stopped breathing for a moment. His heart pounded crazily in his chest. Iruka was so relaxed and joyful beautiful contended.

"Don't worry Kashi-kun I will still have my job at the Hokage tower taking you lazy jounin's messy missions reports and filing'n'm away." He hiccupped adorably, cheeks blushing with his intoxication.

Chunin cheered and Jounin too. It was a fun party. Noriko was smiling at him from across the room, their friends who were still sober had helped her gather up all of the farewell gifts and happy retirement gifts and congratulations You're A NEW Papa! Gifts. She gathered her husband into her arms and he snuggled delightfully into her neck giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"I love you Noriko, you really do make me so happy." He was almost in tears.

"You make my life worth living Iruka-koi." She affirmed right back, smiling gently into his sleepy intoxicated gaze. "let's go home, Ru-koi."

However Kakashi was not happy leaving things as they are. It didn't feel right to him that Iruka should just give up his job a job Iruka was totally devoted to! A Job Iruka had worked very hard for and achieved at such a young age. Mastery was not easy and for Iruka to have mastered the basics of henge, tai jutsu, genjutsu and ninjutsu, and be able to pass along that knowledge successfully was not something many could do. Iruka had a talent and a calling and he was just going to walk away from it?!

Iruka was busy getting the house in order for Noriko's arrival back from her latest and last mission until the birth date of their first child. He was humming and cleaning and straightening the furniture planning meals and special nights to go out on. Naruto and Sasuke had volunteered for first shift of baby sitting, Sakura and Ino and TenTen next and then Temari and Shikamaru and others of his graduates.

Iruka looked up at the window ledge where Kakashi was currently sitting swinging his leg to and fro. With that look on his face Iruka recognized as his stubborn resolved about to get into a fight look. Iruka sighed. Damn and today was such a beautiful day! What was Kakashi's problem this time? He can't still be brooding over my retirement thing, can he?

He was hurtful and nerve wracking.

"You're just going to continue to be her doormat?" growled Kakashi.

"What are you talking about?! Noriko and I discussed things and it makes sense! I should be the one to stay home with the kids! Noriko is a jounin she makes more than I do and she isn't very maternal. She wants to have a children with me. She loves me. She's having this child for me." Cried Iruka defensive and angry.

"You're just going to walk away from teaching, from all that hard work? I don't believe you can just walk away like that, just give up and turn your back on your students." Yelled Kakashi, incredulous and disbelieving.

Iruka shook his head. "You just don't get it Kakashi. I'm going to be a father. Someone has to stay home and raise the kids. They aren't going to raise themselves. I've made my decision. What the hell is your problem with it?"

"It just seems wrong Iruka. She's the bitch giving birth she should be home to raise the litter!" roared Kakashi his dog terms were worthy of the Inuzuka but they had two affects on Iruka.

Iruka understood that his friend wasn't exactly social conscience or brought up with manners. He understood that Kakashi had basically raised himself as had Iruka raised himself as well. He understood that Kakashi was not trying to be offensive but when a man calls another man's wife and kids a bitch and litter, well, something sure was going to give.

Iruka attacked with his broom.

Kakashi leaped from the window only to have Iruka chase him down with his broom and beat the stuffing out of the jounin. Screaming in several water dialects and languages Iruka tore into Kakashi with unknown before zeal and alacrity.

Even Kakashi's hounds felt the sting of the broom as they tried to save and protect their embattled and battered master.

By the time Iruka was done with Kakashi the Jounin lay very still and unconscious on the street of Konoha outside of his bachelor pad.

"Don't ever insult my wife again!" roared Iruka. "And if you ever want to be my friend again you better grovel for forgiveness you hear me Kakashi Hatake Teme!" growled Iruka the fire of battle still blazing in his dark depths. The dogs cowered to the ground bellies flat eyes down and away from making contact with the powerful chunin.

Lesson One learned, never enrage the x-academy teacher. Everyone learned it well that day.

Iruka stomped off back to his house to spic and span his rage away by scrubbing and cleaning the house within a gleaming sparkling inch of new life. Noriko came home to an unconscious Iruka on the floor of their kitchen scrub brush and rags still in hand. Noriko smiled lovingly at her husband and carried him into their room where she then tucked him into bed.

It would be nearly six months before Iruka would forgive Kakashi. And it had taken a lot of groveling, wining and dining and a lot of tip-toeing around things and a whole hell of a lot of nudges from Naruto, Team 7 and the rest of their friends and Noriko as well. She wanted Iruka to be happy and his fight with Kakashi had done nothing but make the man miserable even after she had given birth to their first child Iruka continued to brood and be in a funk over the Kakashi matter. When the two men finally made up life got a lot easier and Iruka was back to smiling and teasing and laughing and up to putting his whole focus on their little girl Satsume.

Noriko couldn't be happier.

She was a mom and she was married to Iruka but deep down she knew time was running out. Her mission would have to come to an end eventually and with that ending would come the end of Konoha and the happiness she had here.

She wanted to take her family away from here before the inevitable war came down on them all. Maybe after her duty to her original village was done she would just take Iruka and their daughter with her and they could be free from any ties to any of their villages, free together their only ties to one another.

She would have to approach the subject subtly, gently and carefully, for she knew Iruka loved Konoha passionately and was a devoted and duty bound shinobi who was fanatically loyal to Konoha and its Hokage.

* * *

TBC

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	3. Chapter Five & Six: A Repost

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Much Later**

They have a six year old daughter, a four year old daughter, and a two year old daughter and the new born baby son.

Iruka was in one of his rare moods where he was drunk he looking at his picture of his family. People stayed away from Iruka when he was in one these strange dark moods. Kakashi sat watching over him from a far as usual.

Naruto looked sadly from one sensei to the other noting that life was so short and these two numbskulls were letting true happiness get farther and farther out of reach.

Iruka glanced up from the picture of his family and looked into Kakashi's eyes beseechingly. Kakashi ambled over to Iruka in his lazy stride.

"Yo." Smiled Kakashi.

Iruka's smile seemed sad and with a twist of bitterness. "Look at this picture Kashi-sama." He whispered slurred drunkenly. "They're beautiful aren't they?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Do you think any of them look like me?"

Kakashi gave Iruka a puzzled look.

Iruka laughed. "Satsume, my first born, I think she looks a lot like me. See her dark eyes and dark hair, even the water recognizes her, it calls to her as she calls to it. She is an Umino. But the others…." His voice stopped his eyes flashed pain.

There was so much pain in that expression, silver had come to Iruka's hair he was hardly more than 32 years of age and somehow Iruka looked warn old, burnt out. Kakashi felt his heart stab itself with pain.

Iruka's and Nuriko's marriage though wasn't as perfect as people thought. Iruka felt inadequate. He knew his wife was having secret affairs. He suspected something strange when his wife started to frequently suggest they leave Konohagure and go some where else and when she started to estrange/distance herself from him and their three kids. Two of which he knows are not his own but he loves them anyway.

"Do you know of this Kakashi? You would tell me if my Noriko were cheating on me, wouldn't you. They have to be mine but the math, the math, it doesn't add up. I know that on missions sometimes we must do things we wouldn't ordinarily do. I could accept that I really could. Maybe she slept with some guy and she wasn't careful enough, maybe it was part of some mission she's not able to talk about. She's in Anbu now you know. I'm so proud of her. I love her and she loves me. But I look at them. The genetics don't add up. Their hair, its gold, my hair is dark."

"Maa, Iruka you're thinking it too hard. What are those things, you know, recessive genes, maybe that's it or maybe her own genes finally took over. I think they look like you. They have your cute little nose." Insisted Kakashi, lying.

Iruka laughed. "You think my nose is cute? It's a little big, almost roman-like."

"Naaa, its not that big, its cute and it wrinkles up nice and sweet when your embarrassed." Teased Kakashi easing the fear and the pain from Iruka.

They both knew he was lying but Iruka accepted it. He loved his kids he just wished they were really of his own blood and not strangers or worse some Konoha ninja that had been sleeping with his wife behind Iruka's back. That would break his heart and destroy his trust in Konoha if he ever found out.

"Come on Iruka let's get you home."

"You're a good friend Kashi-kun." Iruka's eyes grew wet as he finally caved in to the melancholy part of drunkenness. "I hate it when we fight." He sniffled.

"Me to, RuRu." Kakashi gave him the happy curved U eye smile. Iruka grinned widely and happily back.

Kakashi helped Iruka to his feet but fussed over Iruka when Iruka let out a low hiss of pain making Kakashi's eye narrow in concern.

"What's wrong RuRu?"

"M-my shoulder." Stuttered Iruka. "Its uh a little sore still, I uh fell uh down the stairs chasing after the toddler the other day." Embarrassed and lying.

Noriko and Iruka had had another fight and Noriko had dislocated it and bruised his arm almost breaking it during their fight. Noriko was getting desperate and angry and she wasn't communicating with Iruka like she used to. Iruka wished he understood what had gone wrong in their lives and what it was that Noriko was so afraid and so desperate.

It was the worst lie Kakashi had ever heard out of a grown shinobi and only next to the lies genin tried to sell to their jounin teachers. But he couldn't make Iruka tell him the truth. He couldn't make Iruka tell him anything that Iruka didn't want to say on the matter to him. Iruka was stubborn and private and Kakashi knew that if Iruka wanted him to know Iruka would tell him eventually why it was he was injured.

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER SIX

**MUCH LATER**

Noriko had not returned the other night and he had heard that her partner had made it back into the village. Iruka was concerned but managed to stay focused on his kids and getting the house somewhat decent for Noriko's return.

The next morning while he was making breakfast and trying to get the kids ready for school; there was a knock on the door and Iruka answered with a baby in one arm and a backpack in his other hand. He looked disheveled and tired.

Kurenai stood there in her duty persona and by her side were other anbu and Naruto and Sasuke. At first Iruka couldn't understand what she was saying, he nearly dropped his infant son but he did drop the backpack. Satsume and her two younger sisters were running towards the door screaming for Mommy but Noriko would not be coming home not ever, nor would she be able to giver her daughters any hugs or kisses or comb their hair or tell them nighttime stories or take them to the summer festival coming up.

Widowed?

Traitor?

Iruka did not take the news well, especially not with a red eyed kunoichi staring him down with suspicion and anger in her usually warm and friendly teasing eyes. Kurenai was their friend and his wife's Anbu partner. What was going on here?

Why was she holding out Noriko's dog tags to him?

Why was she saying Noriko was a traitor? What did she mean she killed Noriko?!

Iruka couldn't shake the shock he was in. He couldn't even gather up the embarrassment that he would have normally felt on being seen half naked, bare but for the sweatpants he was wearing low on his hips. Even his long hair was loose around his shoulders and fanning out longer still down his back framing his shoulder blades, his body had new scars. Scars from his and Noriko's fights.

He'd been getting the kids ready for school and as usual it was a struggle. Satsume was stubborn and was the ring leader in getting her two younger sisters not to cooperate with their beleaguered father. He'd been making them lunches and flipping flap jacks on the grill.

Naruto and Sasuke took the children in hand while fellow Anbu and Ibiki with a look of anger and disappointment in his eyes took Iruka into custody to be questioned.

At first Iruka seemed reluctant to let his children go but one look into Ibiki's eyes and he gently handed them over to their uncle Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto and Sasuke were on his side they whispered encouragement and strength and they promised to take care of Iruka's babies for him until he returned. They knew he was innocent and they had no doubts Ibiki would prove it.

Iruka put on a t-shirt and his sandals then followed his guard with dignity and grief shining in his obsidian emotional eyes.

**Ibiki** had been like an older brother to Iruka when he was a genin and newly orphaned. Ibiki's own brother had died or disappeared around that time as well and so the two had found a sibling in one another that they had much needed. The only thing Ibiki ever demanded of Iruka was that Iruka never betray Konoha or meet him on the other side of his torture chamber.

Iruka knew he had failed Ibiki and he felt he had somehow failed his wife as well as their children. He had as Kakashi had accused of him so long ago been Noriko's doormat for so long that he had failed his duty as a shinobi.

Iruka looked at Ibiki with a gentle look of acceptance, a look that almost broke the legendary torture master.

Hours of questioning and grueling accusations, more grueling questions, Iruka was exhausted but not allowed to sleep. Ibiki did his job. He beat Iruka. Dunked him in water. Kept him awake for hours and hours asking his questions over and over slowly raising the pain levels and torture techniques until he was satisfied with Iruka's innocence, Ibiki got to the truth it was his job after all.

Iruka and Nuriko's marriage had not been as wonderful as people had thought. Noriko hadn't always been stable. Noriko disappeared for days and hours even after a mission had been completed and sometimes she went into rages, uncontrollable frightening rages, sometimes speaking in paranoia of something bad coming for us all. She almost hurt the children but Iruka had kept her focus on him and he had tried to keep her calm but it rarely seemed to go as planned.

She had tried to kill Iruka in his sleep a few times she had even held Kenji under the water once. Iruka was a battered emotional traumatized wreck who had been just trying to keep his children safe and make his wife happy and failing at all of it.

Ibiki was satisfied with Iruka's innocence as was Tsunade and Kurenai.

Though Kurenai would still reserve judgment after all Iruka had lived with the traitor all of this time. He must have known or been aware of something in all of that time, if nothing else he was at least guilty of not protecting Konoha from a traitor and marrying a snake.

Iruka went to his home but it was already being further investigated and he and his family could no longer live there.

Iruka was devastated.

The Hokage showed mercy. His family wasn't going to be incarcerated nor expelled from Konoha. Iruka & Noriko's home however was confiscated as was Noriko's wages.

Iruka was worried what was he going to do for a home for his kids? What was he going to do without money to feed or clothe his kids? No one was going to help a spouse of a traitor. Noriko had insisted he stay home and be an at home dad. She was Anbu she made more money on the job than he had and she wanted to take care of her family. But now she was gone and life would be hard for him and his kids.

He was not unused to being reviled. He'd been too kind to the demon fox vessel, he'd been accused of favoring an evil fox over good kids before, and had been ostracized for it on occasion had received glares and hate mail for it. He would bare this mark as well and soften the brunt of it for his kids.

But where was he going to live?

Naruto and Sasuke offered their home to Iruka and his family for the time being. He couldn't live with Naruto and Sasuke, not forever any way. And he wouldn't be allowed any of his old jobs. How could he be trusted to teach the future ninja of Konoha if his wife had been a traitor? How could he be trusted to file top secret documents when his wife had been a traitor and he was a traitor by association. No one was going to ever trust him again.

Iruka was allowed to gather only a small amount of belongings and once the rest of the stuff was cleared of any subversive materials they would be allowed to come claim the rest of their stuff at a later time but the house would never be theirs again.

Naruto and Sasuke and the children were waiting across the street from the house for him. Satsume ran to her father weeping.

"Daddy!" she cried.

Iruka held her and tried to control his own emotions for once. He had done this to his daughter. He had destroyed her future. He had not done his job as Noriko's husband. This was his fault. But he promised himself and his child he would make it right. He would wipe away their sins and shame with his own blood.

He would do whatever it would take to give her and her siblings a happy life.

The children wept and asked about mommy. Satsume though was quiet and did not ask about her mother she was old enough and bright enough to realize what had happened.

If it hadn't been for Iruka's over-protectiveness and Noriko's willingness to concede to his one request on the matter Sastsume's brilliance, Sastsume would have been entered into the ninja academy much earlier and have been a graduate at an early age like that of the damaged Kakashi. She was genius in the ways of the shinobi and in the ways of using her jutsu. Iruka did not want her to be like Kakashi or like Sasuke or Neji damaged by their gifts and by the expectations of the village.

Iruka bided his time and waited so that he could get his affairs in order his will drafted and made Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi joint parents of his children. They were the ones he loved most and the ones he trusted most to take care of his children and especially of bright and brilliant Satsume. He trusted his friends would raise his kids right, they would raise them to be a strong and faithful and loving.

Ashamed Iruka commits suicide but fails. Thanks no doubt to dum luck and Ibiki's need to look in on his depressed and shocky adopted brother.

"I loved her. I knew something was wrong." Iruka confessed while he bled. "I tried to tell, truly I tried, but I loved her you see. Maybe if I'd been more of a man or made right for her."

The crimson pool was growing and Ibiki's countenance was bleached pale as he tried to carefully unsheathe the blade from Iruka's still living body. Seppuku. It was a mess. Ibiki cursed and tried tokeep his emotions bottled tight.

"Fuck!" he growled. "Iruka, holy gods in heaven! Don't you die! I am not going to be father confessor on your deathbed here! Dammit! Don't you fucking die." Ordered Ibiki.

"If I had only been made right for her maybe she wouldn't have turned on us. Maybe I could have done something else. Maybe I could have kept her from turning away from us." Beseeched Iruka for understanding.

Ibiki was struggling to keep the x-chunin alive. Damn Seppuku! He did it good, but botched. He wants to live. He loves those kids. But he wants to wash away the shame.

"If only I'd been made right for her." He choked on blood. _Nuriko said "I'm too selfish to let you go Iruka. I will be anything you need me to be. I won't let you go."_

Ibiki frowned then growled. "What do you mean?"

"But I loved her. I tried to …. But it never seemed to work unless I was thinking about men. I don't work right. I'm sick. I'm pathetic Ibiki."

Ibiki shook his head trying to understand what it was his friend was saying.

"I'm gay, Ibiki-san. I am so ashamed."

Ibiki scowled. "What nonsense is this? Who cares if you're gay! What's to be ashamed of in that? This was not your fault Iruka. She tricked you. She tricked this village. Even if you'd been made "right" for her and I use that sarcastically, because as far as I can tell you've been made right as you are, she still would have turned on us. She was an infiltrator from Sound, like that Kabuto bastard. Don't you die Iruka. Do you want your kids to be orphaned!?"

"She said, she told me, she wanted me and the kids to leave Konohagure. She wanted to put us somewhere safe. I asked her what she was talking about. I could never leave and Leaf Village" … is in our …. Cough cough choke cough… "Veins…. How could she ask us to abandon our home? She didn't discuss the matter with me ever again. But I tried to tell someone."

Long drawn out struggle of breathing strangled wet. Ibiki tried to heal as much damage as he possibly could knowing each second was one less hour of life Iruka had left in him.

"I entered Hokage tower so many times and here Anbu, your house too Ibiki-nii-Sama. I tried but the words they would never leave me and she never told me any details she never said she was going to betray us, our home."

"But I sensed something wasn't right and she kept turning away from me. She kept having flings on the side. She was distancing herself emotionally from me and the kids so I knew whatever it was it was coming very soon and still I couldn't betray my wife. But if I had known for certain what she had planned I never would have allowed her to go on that mission. I would have killed her if I needed to. What is it about me Ibiki, do I turn them bad or do I just attract the insane ones? First Mizuki then Noriko. I just wanted us to be happy. I loved her. I chose her. I wanted to spend my life with her."

Ibiki was desperately trying to keep Iruka from dying. "Hang on Iruka, hang on little brother. Think about your kids. Think about your friends. We need you. Don't say another word, I beg you Iruka, don't say anything more."

But Iruka kept talking his strength leaving him. Ibiki had stopped the kunai from reaching Iruka's heart but he knew that he was carrying Iruka to the hospital was making things worse. Iruka was bleeding out. They didn't have much time.

* * *

TBC

* * *


	4. Chapter 7: A New Chapter!

**Chapter Seven**

**Much Later**

"Live with me." Said Kakashi. "My house is large I have already made the rooms ready for you and the children."

Kakashi viewed this as his second chance with Iruka.

_Flashback:_

_Naruto had kicked his head a few times and Sasuke had kicked his butt. Both jounin had told him by no uncertain terms. "This is probably your last shot with your true love Kakashi sensei Baka! Do something. Stop being so cowardly and step up to the plate. You can't mope no more if Iruka is yours now can you?'_

_"But he married Noriko. He was straight. Living with me isn't going to make him gay."_

_"Dumb ass."_

_"You call yourself an observant x-anbu, you say you look underneath the underneath, bah! Iruka's as gay as they come." Growled Sasuke. It was a very long sentence, and a lot of words, from a man who usually used three words or less in just about any situation._

_Kakashi had been struck dumb. Yes sirree this was his one chance his last chance his one last opportunity to be with the man he loved and had been secretly, well not so secretly apparently, in love with for over seven years._

_End Flash Back_

Iruka blinked at Kakashi before smiling nervously. "All right." He finally answered.

Kakashi smiled tremulously in return. "Good. That's settled."

Kakashi, along with his clones and Naruto's doppelgangers has rebuilt the Hatake compound now named the Umino-Hatake compound.

Iruka wanted to accept the offer but he couldn't allow himself to be a burden to his friend. Kakashi read him like an open book of Itcha Itcha Paradisu.

"Don't say no." he growled. "come live with me at the Hatake-Umino Compound."

Iruka's eyes widened as he gasped in shock. There were a few eavesdroppers who gasped as well.

"Its amazing what a couple of clones and a hundred Narutos can do." Chuckled Kakashi, eye crinkling in his happy expression.

Iruka found to his shock that his lips opened to answer what his pounding heart had always hoped for. "I Will. Yes. Thank you so much Hatake-San, you will not regret this!"

"I don't expect to no matter what happens." confirmed Kakashi, his eye showing Iruka a lot more emotion then Iruka had ever expected. Iruka felt his cheeks burn. He felt his heart beat even faster. Kakashi was his white knight. Iruka would later feel terrible for being such a burden on Kakashi but for now all he could do was blush and smile like a love struck idiot.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi smiled and held Iruka's hand in his as they finished their coffee.

* * *

**LATER**

Iruka faced angry ninja and ninja who turned their backs to him or ignored him. Kakashi was angry at the way people were treating Iruka.

He reassured his love. "Those that betray their comrades are lower than scum. But Iruka, you did not betray anyone. And in a very odd way, neither did Noriko. She was implanted here, Iruka, by Orochimoro. You were what she was loyal to, what she loved."

"But her oaths demanded her to do as she had promised to do. I respect her for trying to keep you and her children safe. She was my enemy from day one. So I cannot hate her for a betrayal that was not there. She hid her true purposes but she was true to her goals and to her mission and to the people she was loyal to."

"Others cannot understand this very simple thing. And anyone who would think that you would betray Konoha are obviously mental. You are a true and loyal man Iruka."

Iruka tried to have some pride. He tried to hold in his tears. He worked hard at trying to make amends for crimes that were not his own. But he felt some guilt and some responsibility for it. If he had allowed himself to see the truth…… If he had only acted earlier…… If he had been able to talk Noriko out of it….

Satsume was angry. She hated her mother. She hated that everyone now seemed to hate them. She hated how much pain her father suffered for a traitor's crimes, for a woman who had been moody and abusive to Father. No one seemed to understand the pain her father was in, no one but for Kakashi and Naruto-nii-sama.

Auntie Kurenai had killed Mama and yet she seemed to still love them even if Father had yet to forgive her for killing her Mama. But as for the rest of the people in the village no one looked at them the way they used to. She hated that most of all.

She hated that her Mama had been a traitor and that her Mama had destroyed whatever happiness their family should have had in Konoha with an act of betrayal.

Her father suffered so much. Her mother had obviously been a selfish and terrible person to put her husband and her children through this. Their village had turned their backs on them. There seemed nothing they could do to get back their honor and their respect.

Uncle Kakashi was looking more tired then usual and he was always away on missions, supporting a traitor's children and a traitor's house husband. Was there nothing that she or her father could do to get back into the good graces of Konoha and urn some kind of living? Was there nothing that they could do to help Kakashi-sensei?

**

* * *

**

IRUKA Demands his job and his life back

Iruka screamed enraged at the Hokage. "What am I supposed to do? I cannot allow myself to be a drain on Kakashi. Why can't I teach at the academy? In all my years teaching I never brain washed my students nor subverted the teachings of the Hokage and Konoha Shinobi ways! My students have always been exceptional shinobi and loyal to Konoha!"

"I am and have always been loyal to Konoha! Why must I, why must my children be, why must we be castigated and treated like dirt?! My child comes home crying every night from school. Her mother was the traitor not me! Not my child either! This village treated Naruto like crap and now its mine and my childrens' turn is that it?"

"And the way they treated Kakashi's father as well? Put me on a mission. Treat me as a shinobi! I need to earn money for my children and for my food and to help Kakashi with our bills! Put an anbu on me! Team me up with Kakashi! Team me up with anyone, like Kurenai I'm sure it would be easy for her to stick a kunai through me if I so much as flinch in the other direction!"

Tsunade winced.

Kakashi scowled and glared coldly at the kunoichi. The air in the room suddenly turned freezing even as Iruka began to weep. Kakashi's eye promised death to anyone who dared to hurt his little chunin.

"I'm tired of being worthless! Let me prove my worth! Let me be a chunin! Let me be shinobi of Konoha! My parents died for Konoha. I trained pre-genin to die for Konoha. I fought in the war with sand and sound! I kept the children of Konoha safe in my time as their teacher. Give me a purpose, give me a life. Give me and my children a chance to earn our honor back!" he roared. Demanded.

Kakashi and the Hokage threw Iruka for a loop. "Pass the chunin exams again and you can have your old job back." Said the Hokage.

* * *

TBC - eventually

* * *

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